National Republican., 1887-04-23
CONSULAR NOTES.

No definite and reliable news has lately
been received at the State Department from
Venezuela In regard to the attempt OF the
British government to enforce its claim
against that republic respecting the bound
ary question In British Guiana. The inter-
ests OF the United States at Maracaibo, the
principal port OF Venezuela, are In the
hands Of competent consul, Mr.. L. II.
Plumacher, who is naturalized citizen Of
Germany, and was appointed in 1888.
Writing to the State Department immedl-
ately before the events which have figured
In recent dispatches he narrates the results
OF singularly interesting exploration
party organized by himself and carried out
under American supervision into part of
Venezuela territory which has never,
hitherto, been described. The Indian terri.
tory of Goaiira is situated between two OF
the most prosperous and progressive states
In Venezuela, but Indians who inhabit II
have succeeded in maintaining, up to the
present day, their absolute independence,
aud the resources Of the country they
inhabit are as unknown as they We're
when Columbus first landed. There is
but one method Of exploring possible, and
that Is to send man into the country who
has married an Indian wife Of the tribe
which controls the particular territory
sought to be explored. But as his intiu.
ence lapses with the tribe to which he be-
longs, 1t follows that he has to renew the
persuasive power In each Indian territory
traversed Consul Plumacher further states
that the natives are robust and warlike,
with dark complexion and straight hair,
and are given to raids and robberies over
the frontier. Although intractable, they
make periodical visits TO the frontier and
exchange cattle for beads, knives, and cal
leo, occasionally trading off young girls
for these desired commodities. Marriage
among them Is a matter of barter, and an
expensive luxury, and notwithstanding the
fact that wife has never any voice In the
choice OF her husband, when once married
her position becomes most important
one. She is thereafter obliged to maintain
her husband In food and clothing, and be.
comes the principal In all matters Of bust.
ness. No bargain made by a man ia valid,
unless II has the sanction OF his wife.
Other customs OF the Goajiras are strange
and interesting, and nave remained
unaltered from time immemorial. One OF
the most striking is II complicated system
OF payment by tears and blood. II an
Indian accidentally wounds himself, or
breaks limb, the family Immediately
demand of him the "payment of blood, on
the theory that us his blood Is also their
own, he has no right to shed II with.
out making compensation. The relatives
OF his father also claim ''compensatiOn Ut
tears, /" which is less expensive. Even the
friends who may have witnessed the acct
dent are entitled to compensation for grief
into which they were plunged. II au
Indian who has borrowed horse from
friend is thrown therefrom and suffers
injury, his relatives demand compensation
from the owner, ou the ground that the
accident would not have occurred II he had
not lent the horse. The seller Of any
article is responsible for the results Of It's
Ia 4. -
he paid for to call II GOajran Indian by his
Indian name, all of them having Spanish
patrOnymcs, and To make reference
to the name OF dead Indian In
the presence OF any of his relatives Is a
very grave offense indeed, which can only
be condoned by large payments. The
principal business OF the Goaiira peninsula
Is cattle raising. No effort has been made
to ascertain whether this region has valua.
BILE mineral resources. In summer the
lagoons, which are filled by rain water, run
dry, and IN the next season fl lagain, aud
are always found TO be supplied with small
fish, which the natives firmly believe fall
from the clouds, but which French
scientist August Pellissier, who resides
on the frontier thinks, on ,rea-
sonable theory, are the result OF un.
dlgested fish eggs elected by aquatic birds. |
The land ON the whole peninsula is held by
PiNu'V Ni'iN' -h''oSNNhN'i
cher's report, only brief summary OF
which is here presented, reveals II most In
terestlng field for speculation and study.
The Postofilce Department is In daily
expectation Of receiving such news from
Mexico as to the action OF the Mexican postal
treaty as will enable promulgation to DO
made at once OF the terms OF the oonven-
ton, One OF the leading features In the
treaty Is the reduction OF postage between
the United States and Mexico from ! TO 2